The United Nations Office on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) called for the most vulnerable economies to be exempt from the reciprocal tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump , which were paused for 90 days.

In its report, ” Rising Tariffs: The Impact on Small and Vulnerable Economies ,” the United Nations agency  noted that in many cases, reciprocal tariffs can cause significant impacts on developing and less-developed economies without significantly reducing the United States’ trade deficits or increasing revenue collection.

In this regard, he indicated that of the 57 affected trading partners , 11 of them are less-developed countries that contribute minimally to the United States’ trade deficits. “Twenty-eight of these 57 trading partners each represent less than 0.1% of the deficits, but could still be subject to reciprocal tariffs.”

Because many of these economies are small , structurally weak, and have low purchasing power, they do not really represent a solid export market for the United States.

The report stated that after the grace period, if reciprocal tariffs are reinstated, demand for various imported goods is likely to decline due to higher prices.

“Even if U.S. import levels were maintained at 2024 levels, the additional tariff revenue collected from the poorest and smallest economies would be minimal. For each of the 36 of the 57 trading partners, reciprocal tariffs would generate less than 1% of current U.S. tariff revenue,” he clarified.

The report estimated that increased tariffs on agricultural products will likely impact consumers, given the rising prices of these goods.

“In 2024, the United States imported vanilla from Madagascar worth approximately $150 million. Cocoa imports from the Ivory Coast were close to $800 million, while imports from Ghana were valued at approximately $200 million,” the agency noted.

The UNCTAD study noted that in 2023, around two-thirds of global trade was tariff-free, and warned that more aggressive tariff policies recently imposed by the world’s major economies are raising concerns about escalating trade tensions and their impact on developing countries.

It’s worth remembering that Donald Trump has initiated a tariff war with several countries. However, he himself suspended reciprocal tariffs for 90 days on April 9, except for China, a nation with which he is engaged in a dispute over the imposition of tariffs.

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El cargo UNCTAD calls for excluding vulnerable economies from reciprocal tariffs apareció primero en T21.

The recent signing of the executive order Unleashing American Energy by Donald Trump, President of the United States, is causing concern in various sectors , especially in the automotive industry. According to Miguel Elizalde, director of the consultancy Mobility Sustainable , this action seeks to eliminate incentives established in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which promoted the acquisition of electric vehicles and the development of charging infrastructure.

“In this case, you have a series of actions, one of those actions is literally ending or concluding the support for the incentives that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, where incentives were granted for the acquisition of electric vehicles and incentives for the charging infrastructure of these electric vehicles. It was not exclusively for heavy vehicles, it was for all electric vehicles. So what does this mean? Will it have an impact? Yes, it will have an impact, but it has to be properly dimensioned,” said Elizalde.

The specialist stressed that Trump’s policies do not prohibit the sale of electric vehicles; however, the elimination of incentives could reduce sales and delay global decarbonization goals .

“It will slow down the transition to zero emissions. It will not stop it, it will slow it down, and at least, in our understanding, it would be these four years of the Trump administration,” Elizalde explained.

Regarding Mexico , Elizalde said the impact will be indirect. Mexico makes electric vehicles, but it also produces diesel and gasoline engines, so it could adjust to changes in demand.

“If someone stops buying electric cars, they will buy diesel, and Mexico makes both. The impact could be more noticeable in the plants that currently produce electric vehicles for export,” he said.

Although a slowdown in exports to the United States is expected , Elizalde considered that Mexico’s leadership in the production and export of vehicles will not be significantly compromised, as long as there are no renegotiations of the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC) or new tariff measures.

Heavy vehicle production

In the cumulative period from January to December 2024 , heavy vehicle production showed a drop of 4.3% compared to the same period in 2023. Diesel vehicles, which continue to be the most produced, experienced a decrease of 4.7%, while natural gas vehicles stood out with an increase of 115 percent.

While the trend is positive for cleaner vehicles, US policies could slow progress towards the transition to zero emissions, Elizalde warned.

Export of heavy vehicles

Regarding heavy vehicle exports, during 2024 they also reflected a drop of 10.2% compared to 2023, with diesel vehicles being the most exported, with a drop of 10.6 percent.

However, natural gas vehicles saw a significant increase of 76.9 percent. Trump’s policies , which seek to eliminate incentives for electric vehicles, could affect this trend towards exporting cleaner vehicles.

Emissions and the global challenge

The specialist also highlighted the importance of understanding the global context. The United States generates 12% of global emissions, and of that percentage, transportation represents 40 percent. Within this sector, heavy vehicles contribute 16 percent.

“Heavy vehicles in the United States account for approximately 0.75% of global emissions. If we eliminated all heavy vehicles, the impact on global emissions would be minimal, around 0.2%,” Elizalde said.

However, these policies could also slow down global emissions reduction strategies , given the weight of the United States in the world economy.

“And it may take a little longer to achieve the emissions reductions that the United Nations had at a global level , but the United States no longer has those goals,” Elizalde explained.

Elizalde also addressed the possibility that Trump’s policies could be revised or adjusted depending on their economic effectiveness.

“These measures are designed to strengthen the US economy. If at some point they see that they are not working, they could modify them. In addition, some states could decide to maintain incentives at the local level,” he said.

The expert concluded that although Trump’s actions represent a temporary obstacle, the global automotive industry is committed to the transition to cleaner technologies.

 “Electric vehicle sales will not disappear; they will simply slow down. Innovation and market demand will continue to drive this change,” he concluded.

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El cargo Trump, Heavy Vehicles, and the Energy Transition apareció primero en T21.

For the third time, members of the 15 member companies of the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor Producers (ANPACT) as well as the staff of said organization carried out their reforestation day, this as part of their commitments to the environment and society .

The more than 80 participants planted 600 fir trees in the area known as the “Valley of the Nuns,” located in the forests of the Municipality of Ocoyoacac, State of Mexico, one of the main green lungs of the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico (ZMVM).

“ANPACT Reforestation 2024 will have a positive environmental impact in the area by increasing tree density, improving soil conservation; having better forests that help capture carbon; improving the habitat for local wildlife and contributing to the recharge of aquifers, which are so necessary especially during times of drought. Furthermore, reforestation not only contributes to the restoration of the ecosystem and environmental balance, but also has a positive impact on the community of Ocoyoacac and helps in the fight against climate change,” said Rogelio Arzate, executive president of ANPACT.

The reforestation work was carried out with the technical support of Naturalia, AC , a civil association specialized in the conservation and reforestation of forests and wildlife in Mexico.

Arzate also highlighted that reforestation is an activity in line with the ESG (environmental, social and governance) criteria of the companies that make up the Association. “These indicators seek to analyse and promote the contribution and performance of companies with respect to environmental challenges, such as greenhouse gas emissions, the protection of biodiversity, water resources or deforestation. In other words, the ESG criteria consider metrics to evaluate the environmental impacts of companies and their efforts to reduce them. They also evaluate the positive effect of the values ​​and actions of companies in favour of local communities,” said Rogelio Arzate.

The event was attended by volunteers from ANPACT and its associated companies: Mercedes-Benz Autobuses, Dina, Foton, Freightliner, Isuzu, Hino, Kenworth, Mack, MAN, Scania, International, Mercedes-Benz Vanes, Volkswagen Truck and Bus, Volvo and Cummins.

The ANPACT Reforestation initiative is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda , where Goal 15 stands out, which seeks to protect forests, combat soil degradation and desertification. In addition, this reforestation is in line with the efforts developed by the Confederation of Industrial Chambers of the United Mexican States (Concamin), chaired by Alejandro Malagón and of which ANPACT is a member.

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El cargo ANPACT Reforestation: An Integral Route for the Industry apareció primero en T21.